Collaborative and Distance Communication Platforms and Tools

When I did a google search of Collaboration tools, the first website that caught my attention was Blackboard. I was quite surprised to see that be so far up on the list. It was not long ago that we stopped using Blackboard at Utah State University. When it came out I remember how great it was to be able to submit assignments online and view grades and files that the professor put on, granted not very many professors were great at it, but they all tried because it was a new learning tool for students. Now, all I can think about is how horrible it really was! It was extremely basic and it lost functionality. USU then switched to Canvas, which it still currently uses, and I use frequently as a resource. I do have a few Professors who still think that they are living in the 90’s and that they don’t need to adapt to the status quo and start using canvas as a resource for students.


Skype is another collaborative distance tool. I had a good friend that went to Germany for the summer and we would Skype 3-4 times a week. It worked out great because when I was getting off work, they were going to work so we could Skype on our phones along the way. Another popular thing in Utah is Skype on Christmas or Mother’s Day. My little sisters are always going to someone’s house to Skype around the holidays.